Picard Had A Fake Son On Star Trek: The Next Generation & Dr. Crusher Repeated What Happened With Jean-Luc’s Real Son

Thanks to Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) in Star Trek: Picard, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) had two "sons" he didn't know about. Throughout most of Star Trek: The Next Generation's seven-season run, Picard made his discomfort around children quite clear, and he never showed any particular interest in having children of his own. So when Ferengi Daimon Bok (Lee Arenberg) showed up in TNG season 7, episode 22, "Bloodlines," and announced his intentions to kill Picard's son in revenge, the Enterprise-D captain was more surprised than anyone.

After this declaration, Picard located Jason Vigo (Ken Olandt), the son of Miranda Vigo, a woman Picard had previously been involved with. Although Dr. Crusher's initial DNA tests proved Jason to be Picard's son, it was later revealed that Bok intentionally faked the results. Jason turned out not to be Picard's son, and his mother died before he learned the true identity of his father. Like Miranda, Beverly Crusher also chose to keep her son's existence a secret from his father, but this time it really was Jean-Luc Picard.

Dr. Beverly Crusher Repeated What Happened With Picard’s Fake Son On Star Trek: TNG

Dr. Beverly Crusher Raised Her Son, Jack Crusher, Alone

Dr. Crusher came crashing back into Jean-Luc Picard's life in Star Trek: Picard season 3, revealing that she had given birth to their son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), about twenty years before. Picard was understandably upset that Beverly had chosen to keep Jack's existence from him, even though he had never shown a desire to have children. Granted, Picard's stance on children softened throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he genuinely tried to connect with Jason Vigo when he believed the young man to be his son.

Both Jason Vigo and later Jack Crusher were involved in petty crime, much to Jean-Luc's dismay and disappointment. Jason and Jack actually have a surprising amount in common, and neither one wanted much to do with Picard at first. Both young men warm up to Picard over time and come to realize they have more in common with him than they initially believed. "Bloodlines" does not reveal why Miranda Vigo never told Jason about his father, but Dr. Beverly Crusher had her reasons for keeping Jack's existence from Picard.

Why Beverly Kept Jack Crusher From Jean-Luc Until Star Trek: Picard Season 3

Beverly Crusher Feared For Her Son's Life If He Was Known As Picard's Son

After arriving on the USS Titan with Jack in tow, Beverly and Jean-Luc have a heart-to-heart about their son in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 3, "Seventeen Seconds." It's a wonderful scene, beautifully acted by Patrick Stewart and Gates McFadden, as Beverly explains her reasons for raising Jack alone.

Beverly reveals that she considered telling Jean-Luc several times, but every time, the Enterprise captain was involved in some dangerous mission that put his life at risk. Dr. Crusher feared that being Jean-Luc Picard's son would put Jack in danger, and considering that's exactly what happened with Jason Vigo, she was probably correct.

Beverly knew Jean-Luc better than anyone, and she understood that he would never give up his Starfleet career. By the time of Star Trek: Picard, Jean-Luc has changed a lot, and he argues that he should have been given the chance to make that decision. And while Picard has a point, Beverly had already lost her husband and her son, Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton), to "the same stars that own" Picard. Dr. Crusher made the best choice she could with the information she had at the time, and it's one that other women, like Miranda Vigo, had made before her.